Jakob Norz Explained

Jakob Norz
Birth Date:27 September 1920
Birth Place:Saulgrub, Bavaria, Weimar Republic
Death Place:near Kirkenes, German-occupied Norway
Placeofburial:German war cemetery at Pechenga
Serviceyears:1939–1944
Rank:Leutnant (second lieutenant)
Unit:JG 5
Battles:World War II
Awards:Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

Jakob Norz (20 October 1920 – 16 September 1944) was a Luftwaffe flying ace of World War II. Norz is listed with 117 aerial victories—that is, 117 aerial combat encounters resulting in the destruction of the enemy aircraft—becoming an "ace-in-a-day" on seven separate occasions. All his victories were claimed over the Soviet Air Forces in 332 combat missions. He was also a recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, the highest award in the military and paramilitary forces of Nazi Germany during World War II. Norz was killed on 16 September 1944 in a forced landing following combat with a large formation of Soviet aircraft attacking Kirkenes.

Career

Norz was born on 20 October 1920 in Saulgrub in Free State of Bavaria within the Weimar Republic. Holding the rank of Unteroffizier (non-commissioned officer) he served with the I. Gruppe (1st group) of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2 (NJG 2—2nd Night Fighter Wing) since late 1941.[1] With this unit he flew night fighter missions against England and convoy escort missions over the Mediterranean Sea. He was briefly transferred as a day time fighter pilot to Jagdgeschwader 51 (JG 51—51st Fighter Wing) operating on the Eastern Front in early 1942. Shortly afterwards, he was posted to the 11. Staffel (11th squadron) of Jagdgeschwader 1 (JG 1—1st Fighter Wing) which was located in Norway. On 21 March, the squadron was re-designated 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 5 (JG 5—5th Fighter Wing). On 20 April, 8. Staffel moved to an airfield at Petsamo, present-day Pechenga in Murmansk Oblast, Russia on the Eismeerfront (Ice Sea Front)—the area of operations nearest the Arctic Ocean.

War on the Arctic Front

Operating in this northern theatre of operations, Norz claimed his first five aerial victories by the end of 1942. He was presented with the Iron Cross 1st Class (German: Eisernes Kreuz erster Klasse) by Generaloberst Hans-Jürgen Stumpff on account of his II. and III. Gruppe visit at Pechenga on 19 June.

Following victorious combat with two Ilyushin Il-2 "Shturmovik" southwest Eyna Guba on 5 March 1943 he made a forced landing of his Messerschmitt Bf 109 F-4 (Werknummer 13108—factory number) on a frozen lake in no man's land. He returned to a German held position after an eight-hour walk in high snow. Norz claimed his 17th and 18th aerial victory on 4 June 1943.

JG 5 flew multiple missions from Pechenga and Kirkenes in protection of a German convoy on 14 September. At 17:03, a Rotte of Bf 109 G-2s sighted and reported an enemy formation consisting of Douglas A-20 Havoc, also known as Boston bombers, Ilyushin Il-2 ground attack aircraft, as well as Bell P-39 Airacobra and Hawker Hurricane fighters. At 18:15, 9. Staffel was scrambled at Pechenga and 5. Staffel at Svartnes. A bit later further Bf 109s from 4., 7. and 5. Staffel took off. The Germans intercepted the Soviet formation east of Ekkerøy over the Varangerfjord. In this aerial engagement, Norz claimed the destruction of Hurricane fighter.

On 25 November, following ten days of relative quiet, the Soviet Air Forces conducted a coordinated attack on Titovka, and the airfields Høybuktmoen at Kirkenes and Luostari near Pechenga. Titovka is attacked by sixteen Il-2s and six Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, escorted by six Yakovlev Yak-1 and four Yakovlev Yak-9. Høybuktmoen was hit by twelve Petlyakov Pe-2 escorted by twelve Bell P-39 Airacobra and six Yak-9. The Luostari airfield was struck by sixteen Il-2 and six P-40, protected by fourteen Yak-1 and six Hurricanes. That day, Norz claimed two Il-2 ground attack aircraft, taking his total to 45 aerial victories.

On 17 March 1944, Norz became an "ace-in-a-day" for the first time, claiming five Soviet fighters shot down. He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes) on 26 March 1944 following his 74th aerial victory. During aerial combat on 4 July, he claimed five Yakovlev Yak-9 fighters shot down, taking his total to 91. On 17 July, he became the 82nd Luftwaffe pilot to achieve the century mark. As part of the group expansion from three Staffeln per Gruppe to four Staffeln per Gruppe, Norz's 8. Staffel was re-designated and became the 11. Staffel of JG 5 on 15 August. Norz claimed four Petlyakov Pe-2 bombers and a Bell P-39 Airacobra destroyed on 23 August, taking his total to 116 aerial victories.

Walter Schuck, a wartime friend of Jakob Norz, witnessed Norz's final flight on 16 September 1944. According to Schuck, Norz attacked and shot down a Douglas Boston but was hit in the engine by the defensive fire from the Boston. Norz reported that his cabin was filling with smoke. Schuck urged Norz to bale out but Norz decided to fly back to base to avoid capture by the Russians. Schuck broke off further combat and escorted Norz back to base. Norz, intoxicated by the smoke, reported that his elevator seized and that he could not trim the aircraft. Already too low for bailing out, Norz attempted a crash landing in the tundra. The Bf 109 G-6 "yellow 8" (Werknummer 412 199—factory number) struck a rock and disintegrated, killing Norz. He was buried with military honors at the German war cemetery at Pechenga.

Summary of career

Aerial victory claims

According to US historian David T. Zabecki, Norz was credited with 117 aerial victories. Obermaier and Spick also list Norz with 117 aerial victories claimed in 332 combat missions, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front. Mathews and Foreman, authors of Luftwaffe Aces — Biographies and Victory Claims, researched the German Federal Archives and found records for 104 aerial victory claims, all of which claimed on the Eastern Front.

Victory claims were logged to a map-reference (PQ = Planquadrat), for example "PQ 36 Ost 3079". The Luftwaffe grid map (German: Jägermeldenetz) covered all of Europe, western Russia and North Africa and was composed of rectangles measuring 15 minutes of latitude by 30 minutes of longitude, an area of about 360sqmi. These sectors were then subdivided into 36 smaller units to give a location area 3x in size.

Chronicle of aerial victories
ClaimDateTimeTypeLocationClaimDateTimeTypeLocation
– 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 5 –
Eastern Front and northern Norway, and Finland — 10 January – 31 December 1942
115 May 194218:30Hurricanesouth of Ura-Guba45 September 194208:38HurricanePQ 36 Ost 3079
210 August 194218:48HurricanePQ 37 Ost 208545?29 October 1942unknown
32 September 194211:18I-61 (MiG-3)PQ 36 Ost 3912
vicinity of the Kola railroad
– 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 5 –
Eastern Front and northern Norway, and Finland — 1 January – 31 December 1943
6?24 January 1943LaGG-3264 July 194322:02Pe-2PQ 37 Ost 11739
7?5 February 1943LaGG-3274 July 194322:05BostonPQ 37 Ost 1179
?28 February 194316:03P-402812 July 194301:00P-39PQ 37 Ost 11346
?28 February 194316:06Pe-22916 July 194300:55P-39PQ 37 Ost 10668
81 March 194307:17?Il-2PQ 37 Ost 1067
vicinity of Pechenga
3016 July 194301:05P-39PQ 37 Ost 10283
95 March 194308:12P-40PQ 37 Ost 10693120 August 194311:30HurricanePQ 27 Ost RH 96, vicinity of Alta
105 March 194312:05Il-2PQ 37 Ost 10663223 August 194304:56HampdenPQ 37 Ost SE 66
1127 March 194314:30?P-39PQ 37 Ost 30793323 August 194304:58Pe-2PQ 37 Ost SE 63
1230 March 194310:45P-40PQ 36 Ost 3911346 September 194319:04BostonPQ 37 Ost OB 7
1322 May 194319:45HurricanePQ 37 Ost 2033356 September 194319:05BostonPQ 37 Ost OB 8
1422 May 194321:40HurricanePQ 37 Ost 2019366 September 194319:07BostonPQ 37 Ost OC 6
151 June 194303:46P-39PQ 37 Ost 20363714 September 194318:45HurricanePQ 37 Ost RC 4
161 June 194303:49P-39PQ 37 Ost 20493820 September 194316:05Pe-2PQ 37 Ost UH 71
175 June 194304:02HurricanePQ 37 Ost 20443923 September 194312:50P-40PQ 37 Ost UG
185 June 194305:48HurricanePQ 37 Ost 30514023 September 194312:53P-40PQ 37 Ost AG
1919 June 194316:27HurricanePQ 37 Ost 204214123 September 194312:55P-40PQ 37 Ost AG
2027 June 194312:02HurricanePQ 37 Ost 10299
2km (01miles) east of Pummanki
4224 September 194308:50P-40PQ 37 Ost UG
2127 June 194312:04HurricanePQ 37 Ost 20177
6km (04miles) northeast of Pummanki
43?24 September 194308:55P-39PQ 37 Ost UG
2229 June 194314:12Pe-2PQ 37 Ost 11623
29km (18miles) northeast of Vardø
4424 September 194309:00P-40PQ 36 Ost AG
2329 June 194314:13Pe-2PQ 37 Ost 11489
30km (20miles) northeast of Vardø
45?24 September 194309:20HurricanePQ 36 Ost AG
2429 June 194314:16P-40PQ 37 Ost 11495
35km (22miles) northeast of Vardø
46?9 October 1943Yak-7Murmansk
254 July 194322:01Pe-2PQ 37 Ost 11812
According to Prien, Stemmer, Rodeike and Bock, Norz claimed seven undocumented aerial victories in October to November 1943. These seven claims are neither listed by Mombeek nor by Mathews and Foreman.
546 November 194312:17Pe-2PQ 37 Ost RF 74, 3km (02miles) northwest of Subowka5625 November 194311:55Il-2PQ 37 Ost UE 83, 40km (30miles) east of Pechenga airfield
40km (30miles) northwest of Pechenga airfield
5525 November 194311:52Il-2PQ 37 Ost TC 43, 5km (03miles) east of Pechenga airfield
5km (03miles) northwest of Pechenga airfield
– 8. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 5 –
Eastern Front and northern Norway, and Finland — 1 January – July 1944
5721 February 194414:21P-39west of Murmashi
west of Murmansk
82♠28 June 194400:05P-39northeast of Kirkenes
5821 February 194414:24P-39west of Murmashi
vicinity of Murmansk
83♠28 June 194400:13P-39north of Kirkenes
59?24 February 194409:40P-39Lake Tug84♠28 June 194400:20P-39northeast of Kirkenes
6029 February 194413:30Yak-7northwest of Murmansk
southwest of Murmansk
85♠28 June 194403:50Yak-9PQ 37 Ost SC-2/3
6129 February 194413:36Yak-7northwest of Murmansk86♠28 June 194403:58Yak-9PQ 37 Ost RC-8/3
5 March 194413:35Il-2southwest of Murmansk87♠4 July 194418:59Yak-9PQ 37 Ost RA-4/6
625 March 194413:36Il-2north of Ekkerøy88♠4 July 194419:09Yak-9PQ 37 Ost RB-7/1, north of Taarnet
6313 March 194413:37Yak-7southeast of Vayda-Guba89♠4 July 194419:15Yak-9PQ 37 Ost SA-5/5
64?13 March 194413:39Yak-7west of Rybachy Peninsula90♠4 July 194419:26Yak-9PQ 37 Ost SB-1/9
6513 March 194413:41Yak-9southeast of Pummanki91♠4 July 194419:30Yak-9PQ 37 Ost SB-1/2, east-northeast of Kirkenes
66♠17 March 194411:10Il-2north of Hamningberg929 July 194420:50P-40PQ 37 Ost QC-1/2
67♠17 March 194411:11P-39northeast of Hamningberg939 July 194420:51P-40PQ 37 Ost QC-1/4
68♠17 March 194411:13P-39southeast of Hamningberg
northeast of Hamningberg
949 July 194420:53P-40PQ 37 Ost QC-5/1
69♠17 March 194415:39P-39northeast of Pechenga959 July 194420:57P-40PQ 37 Ost QD-4/7
70♠17 March 194415:40P-39northeast of Pechenga
north of Pechenga
96♠17 July 194418:30P-39PQ 37 Ost SB-5/2
712 April 194404:49Yak-7PQ 37 Ost RD-9/697♠17 July 194418:33P-39PQ 37 Ost SB-1/5
722 April 194404:51Yak-7PQ 37 Ost RD-9/698♠17 July 194419:01BostonPQ 37 Ost SB-1/9
732 April 194404:53Yak-9PQ 37 Ost RD-8/399♠17 July 194419:03BostonPQ 37 Ost SB-3/1
747 April 194410:31Yak-9PQ 37 Ost SG-8/7100♠17 July 194419:12Bostonvicinity of Kirkenes
75♠27 June 194416:46Bostonnorth of Kirkenes10121 July 194405:25P-40southeast of Cape Markur
76♠27 June 194416:46Bostonnorth of Kirkenes10222 July 194412:35P-40PQ 37 Ost RE-8/6
77♠27 June 194416:47Bostonnorth-northeast of Kirkenes10322 July 194412:41P-40PQ 37 Ost RE-9/8
78♠27 June 194417:02Yak-9southeast of Kirkenes10422 July 194412:42P-40PQ 37 Ost RE-3/7
79♠27 June 194417:10Yak-9northwest of Kirkenes10528 July 194412:56P-39PQ 37 Ost UC-3/1
80♠28 June 194400:01P-39northeast of Kirkenes10628 July 194412:59P-39PQ 37 Ost UC-3/9
81♠28 June 194400:03P-39west of Kirkenes
– 11. Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 5 –
Eastern Front — 15 August – 16 September 1944
107♠17 August 194409:48P-39PQ 37 Ost TB-7113♠23 August 194412:39Pe-2PQ 37 Ost RD, north of Pechenga
108♠17 August 194409:54BostonPQ 37 Ost SA-1114♠23 August 194412:40Pe-2PQ 37 Ost SD, northwest of Pechenga
109♠17 August 194409:55BostonPQ 37 Ost RU-9115♠23 August 194412:40Pe-2PQ 37 Ost SD, northwest of Pechenga
110♠17 August 194409:56BostonPQ 37 Ost RU-9116♠23 August 194416:38P-39PQ 37 Ost TC
111♠17 August 194409:58BostonPQ 37 Ost RU-311716 September 194411:56BostonPQ 37 Ost SA-2/8
vicinity of Kirkenes
112♠23 August 194412:10Pe-2PQ 37 Ost RD, north of Pechenga

Awards

References

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. For an explanation of Luftwaffe unit designations see Organisation of the Luftwaffe during World War II.